Defensor pushes Boracay land reclassification

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Michael Defensor assured settlers on Boracay island in Aklan yesterday that they would benefit from the government’s plan to reclassify untitled land in the world-renowned island resort.

Defensor made the announcement in the wake of reports that the government was planning to bid out reclassified Boracay property once the lots were declared alienable and disposable.

"Bid the land out? That is a lie," Defensor said. "Our objective for titling the lands in Boracay is to give security and stability to (Boracay residents and) ownership of their land. Why would we bid it out?"

"There will be no prioritization here because (the current settlers) would really be the ones who would own the lands — it will be given to them," he stressed.

He also said Boracay’s settlers should file their title applications before the DENR after the land is declared as alienable and disposable and undergo the appropriate procedures to obtain their land titles.

Defensor said he was willing to hold a dialogue with local residents and resort owners on the island in order to personally explain the processes involved in the plan. This would enable everyone concerned to learn more about the issue and correct misleading information allegedly being dispensed by certain people out to protect their self-interests.

"There’s no need to be violent," Defensor said, reacting to published reports that he could be declared persona non grata in Boracay because of the titling program controversy.

"Wala akong kinakatakot (I’m not afraid of anything)," Defensor said. "I am not depriving them of anything. In fact, the land titling would be for their own good as it will put things in order in Boracay."

"I am ready to explain to them all these processes so they would clearly understand," he said. He said land titles are an investment tool, besides providing people with security of land.

Defensor insisted that Boracay is part of the public domain and therefore must be declared alienable and disposable.

He explained that since most of Boracay’s land is public, settlers may not just claim ownership but must instead comply with appropriate titling procedures.